ejfranz wrote: After reading the 4WD post I am curios as to how many have added lockers to their rigs and what type? I believe that the rear end of my Chey has an electric lock that works in 4 low at low speed. I have crawled out of a ditch after some prep work with it as both rear wheels turned even though one was off the ground. If the front had a locker I would not have had to do so much prep work to get out. If the rear did not have the locker I would have had to do a lot more work to get out. I have since bought chains for the rear wheels and used them once this Christmas to get down an ice road. Both times I have got stuck have been on back roads, no camper, winter tires when we have hit a section of road that is ice underneath a fresh dusting of snow. I am thinking about getting an e-locker for the front diff.
This may sound stupid , but , when the one wheel was off the ground were they both spinning the same direction ?
My 2006 also has the G80 rear end, and I put an Eaton electronic locker in the front. Link
I would really prefer an electronic locker in the rear, too. Maybe someday.
I am not sure what Chevy is offering new in the 3500 platform but with my 2011 1/2 ton with the rear locker, you actually have to hold in the traction control button for 5 seconds to disable the traction control in low range. In low range with the Locking rear diff and traction control activated, it is similar to having a front locker and will get you out of a tight situation as the truck transfers power to the wheel with traction. Downside is that it uses brakes, so not suitable for serious offroading unless you like replacing brake pads.. If the 3500 SRW comes with traction control and you are only looking for maximum traction for short periods, your already covered. Adding a front locker might be an issue on some trucks. For example I used to have a longbed samurai (same wheel base as CJ7)to which I added "Lock Rights" front and rear. They are similar in operation to a Detroit Locker and sounded like a rachet wrench when cornering. This was a great system for off-roading but terrible for winter driving in 4 High as any acceleration or deceleration caused some torque steering.
If money is not an issue, the Air Locker would be great for a double duty TC truck as you can use the same onboard air compressor for your air bags and locker.
Thanks cewillis for the e-locker install pics. That was the locker I was thinking of.
As for BradW's advice for a winch.I have thought about it but It would not have helped the first time I got stuck as there was a cliff on both sides of the road - nothing to hook up to and I was solo.
DonCurley, with my current camper 35" tires are not an option and they would be useless on ice - Great in snow, sand and mud. My CG is high enough as it is.
ejfranz wrote: DonCurley, with my current camper 35" tires are not an option and they would be useless on ice - Great in snow, sand and mud. My CG is high enough as it is.
I wasn't intending to suggest that the diameter of an off-road tire had anything to do with traction characteristics ... it was more the aggressive traction blocks. However, I will agree that such tires are not all that great on ice. That said, most tires (short of being studded or having chains) are also mostly useless on ice.
I put a Powertrax Lock Right auto locker in the rear axle of my F350SRW 4wd pickup about 7 or 8 years ago. I love it. It's definitely the cats bananas. It works same as a Detroit Locker, at about half the cost, because it installs in the stock open differential case, instead of replacing the case entirely. It works very good, is reliable and predictable.
As for a locker breaking axles in a heavy truck, well my truck is loaded to almost 11,000 lbs every day for the last 4 or 5 years and was always loaded with the camper and trailer before that and my locker has not broke my axle and my axle is nothing special, just a 6250 lb Ford 10.25" full-float. The axles they put in the newer trucks are much stronger than mine, rated 10,000 to 11,000 lbs in most 3/4-ton and one ton pickups for the last 10 years.
If I had to do it over again, I would do exactly what I did, put in the Lock Right. My F350 dually will be getting a Lock Right in the rear too, as soon as I can afford to make the upgrade. Some day, I'll put one in my Ranger too. My Bronco has limited slips front and rear, which work reasonably good, but some day it too will get a locker in the rear. I see no reason not to have a locker in every truck I own from now till the day I die, and so it will be, as long as I am able to afford the upgrade.
BradW wrote: Before I spent the money to put a locker in the front of that Chevy, I would buy a 12,000 lb Warn winch with the built-in air compressor. You can still get stuck with lockers and road tires; hard to get stuck anywhere with a winch.
I am not experienced in technical offroad driving so please excuse my ignorance. I'm in the Nevada/Utah/Arizona desert and I'm stuck, but I have a winch (lets say). What do I do with it? What am I using to secure the line to pull myself out?
BradW wrote: Before I spent the money to put a locker in the front of that Chevy, I would buy a 12,000 lb Warn winch with the built-in air compressor. You can still get stuck with lockers and road tires; hard to get stuck anywhere with a winch.
I am not experienced in technical offroad driving so please excuse my ignorance. I'm in the Nevada/Utah/Arizona desert and I'm stuck, but I have a winch (lets say). What do I do with it? What am I using to secure the line to pull myself out?
Winches aren't very useful in the desert, unless you have a boat anchor made for anchoring in sand that you can set to hook your winch to.
SoCalDesertRider wrote: Winches aren't very useful in the desert, unless you have a boat anchor made for anchoring in sand that you can set to hook your winch to.
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